Brittany Avent beat out 40-plus entries in The Arizona Republic's Food & Dining healthy-food-makeover contest, in part, because her struggles with eating are universal. As the winner, she will work for a year with Maya Nahra, a Valley registered dietitian, to adopt healthy-eating habits and shed pounds.

As part of our HealthFull initiative, we'll be following her journey periodically in Food & Dining and at food.azcentral.com. Here's where it all starts.

At 26 and 285 pounds, Brittany Avent, 5 feet, 10 inches tall, is a classic serial dieter. Lose weight, gain weight, lose weight and gain weight. According to research, she's the norm. Nearly 95 percent of dieters gain back the weight they've lost within three years.

The Arizona State University student's yo-yo-ing into obesity began as a young teenager. Raised by her grandparents in Ahwatukee, the three-sport athlete fueled herself with burgers, tacos and pizza from drive-through windows.

"I was trying to fill a hole in her heart, but with Brittany, it simply led to her weight gain," she reasoned.

Avent was 8 and her brother, Bryant, 6 when their parents separated and they began living with Loretta and her husband, Jacques, then Phoenix deputy city manager.

If there's a connection between her childhood and weight, Avent is ready to face it. She understands the importance of knowing why she overeats.

Brittany Avent, 26, (left) cries while talking about her weight issues at her current home in Ahwatukee on Saturday, June 7, 2014. Brittany lives with her grandmother, Loretta Avent.(Photo: David Wallace, David Wallace/The Republic)

"I am ready to learn about the link between emotions and food, but only as a way to make myself healthier," she said.

Avent subscribes to her grandmother's philosophy: A car will never move forward if it's stuck in reverse.

Her goal is to weigh less than 200 pounds. She will decide when she has hit the goal whether to lose more. "I am not looking to be super skinny, to be perfect."

Avent's commitment to lose weight is driven by more than health. Yes, she understands the dangers of eating nearly 3,500 calories a day and carrying nearly 100 pounds too many — increased risk of diabetes, heart attacks, strokes and cancer.

But she is driven to lose weight mostly "to be comfortable in my body." Avent's weight stops her from so much — teaching exercise classes, accepting invitations to parties, shopping with girlfriends.

"I always feel like I am the big girl, the biggest one in the room," she said. "I've actually dropped college classes if I feel too uncomfortable. My weight is causing me to miss my own life."

After years of dieting, Avent's healthy-eating IQ is high. "I know what to eat, but just don't know how to actually do it. I actually like fruits and vegetables. I don't drink sodas. I'm still eating too much and too many of the wrong things." she said.

Dieters often are thwarted by saboteurs, family and friends who tempt them with forbidden foods and fail to encourage their hard work. The opposite applies to Avent.

She has the support of her family and their tight-knit group of politically connected adults who play a large role in her life. Loretta, a civil-rights activist who worked for the Rev. Jessie Jackson, also was a special assistant to former President Bill Clinton.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton remains one of Avent's strongest cheerleaders, recently telling Avent that if Bill Clinton, a former junk-food fan with a serious sweet tooth, could trade his burgers and shakes for kale and yogurt, so can she.

Avent's godfather is Terry Goddard, former Arizona attorney general and a candidate for state secretary. He's also squarely in her corner.

"I've grown up with an incredible support system of amazing people, and know they are behind me," she said. "That really helps."

Yet, Avent knows her yearlong journey will be challenging. Bad habits are hard to break.

"The difference is that I know it will happen this time. I believe it will happen," she said. "I don't want to hide from life anymore."

She also knows the pitfalls of turning nutrition knowledge into practice.

"I've been overweight. I've been underweight and I've been everything in between. And I know for sure, it's not about the food. It's never been about the food," said Nahra, founder of Healthy Habit Solutions in Phoenix.

Nahra believes the key to Avent's weight loss is changing her relationship with food. Sure, Nahra will teach Avent the nuts and bolts of shopping and preparing healthy foods. But her weight-loss plan is more about habits and patterns than counting calories and following a rigid, prescribed diet.

"This is not about losing 50 pounds in a week or fitting into a size 2. This is about how you live with food. It's replacing a bad relationship with a good one," she said.

Here's Nahra eight-step blueprint for Avent:

Brittany Avent, 26, (left) is seen with her nutritionist, Maya Nahra, a Registered Dietitian and Founder of Healthy Habit Solutions, at Brittany's current home in Ahwatukee on Saturday, June 7, 2014. Brittany lives with her grandmother, Loretta Avent.(Photo: David Wallace, David Wallace/The Republic)

1. Commitment: It might sound obvious, but the first step requires being ready — truly ready — to change. Anyone contemplating a healthy-eating remake should answer the following question with a resounding "yes."

"Can I sustain this change for the rest of my life?"

The goal is for a permanent change in eating habits, permanent weight loss. Weight loss is a long journey, not a quick walk down the street.

2. Stepping stones: Learning to eat healthy, lose weight and maintain it takes time and patience. Small, gradual steps work better than sweeping, all-or-nothing changes. If you've never worked out regularly before, pledging to do so five days a week makes too big of a jump. Incremental changes improve your chances of sticking with it. Plan out "stepping stones" and mark them on a calendar to help keep on track.

3. Create healthy rituals: These are steps to convert commitment into action. They are daily reminders of the new habits you are building. For example, place a bowl of fruit on the kitchen counter as a reminder of your commitment and healthy, convenient offering of snacks. Rituals or what Nahra calls "trigger steps" might seem small, but are crucial for implementing healthy routines.

4. Learn to cook: The best way to eat healthy is by preparing food at home. Simple meals often are most healthful. For breakfast, take five minutes to make oatmeal from scratch and top with fresh or frozen berries. For lunch, toss a fresh salad with homemade vinaigrette and top with grilled salmon or chicken. Basic skills make these meals a snap. If necessary, take a basic cooking class to improve skills. Invest in a few kitchen basics such as a chef knife, cutting board and saute pan.

5. Plan and shop: Healthy cooking requires planning and shopping. First, shop the perimeter of the grocery store, where fresh foods like fruits, vegetables, dairy and fish are stocked. Choose nutrient-dense foods over "empty" ones. Read labels and select the least-processed foods, or those with as few additives such as salt, high-fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners. Avoid foods that read like a science experiment.

6. Restock: Gradually, fill your pantry and fridge with ingredients for your new healthy lifestyle. Healthful eating is about whole foods, pure flavors. Let Mother Nature, not factories, produce most of what you eat. Trade refined for whole grains. Stock the freezer with frozen fruits and vegetables for a healthful alternative to fresh. Think Mediterranean diet for staples such as extra-virgin olive oil, canned tuna or sardines, olives, nuts and seeds.

7. Track progress: It's possible to change bad habits in eight to 10 weeks. Research shows that those who track their progress are more likely to stay the course. Small wins reinforces creating new habits. If you feel stalled or discouraged, remind yourself of why you decided to change.

Reach the reporter at 602-444-4779 or karen.fernau@arizonarepublic.com.

First steps

Brittany Avent's first "stepping stones" are eating more vegetables and exercising more often.

• She typically eats one helping of vegetables a day. Registered dietitian Maya Nahra recommends that Avent add a snack of ½ to 1 cup of vegetables every afternoon. Eventually, Avent will be eating at least five servings of fruit and vegetables a day.

• Avent, who previously exercised about once a week, will be attending dance-style exercise classes twice a week and a gym workout once a week. The three 30-minute sessions eventually will increase to five days a week.

"These are two realistic steps to get Brittany started. We'll wait until she has success with these before adding other goals," said Nahra, owner of Healthy Habit Solutions (healthyhabitsolutions.com).

Watch 'EVB Live'

Today on Channel 12: Brittany Avent is to ready to turn her life around. See how the 26-year-old plans to work with Valley dietitian Maya Nahra to lead a healthy lifestyle. "EVB Live" starts at 4 p.m.